A conventional search system retrieves a search database (DB) by a search word received from a user and provides the retrieved data arranged in order. For example, when a user transmits a search request for a search word of X, a search server retrieves data according to category classification (e.g., site, knowledge, news, dictionary and so on) and arranges the corresponding data according to the order of each category group to provide a search result page.
The conventional search system is mainly designed for a depth-mining search for a specific search word and just provides a simple arrangement of information related to the search word, and thus it requires a user to grasp the association of the retrieved information on his/her own. For example, when the user inputs “hippie” as a search word, the conventional search system provides information directly related to the word, “hippie” as search results. The user can obtain professional knowledge directly related to “hippie” from the conventional search system, not a peripheral knowledge related to “hippie”. Thus, the conventional search system is impossible to expand to three-dimensional and applicable related knowledge based on organic association of words forming search results, and consequently it is improper to create new knowledge through assembly and association of information.
For example, when the user inputs “hippie” as a search word, a search result page generated by the conventional search system just shows the titles of websites including “hippie” or connection routes of contents including “hippie”. Thus, the conventional search system has a limitation in providing the user with an opportunity of access to only information having a direct association with “hippie”.
The word, “hippie” has association with words, “psychedelic”, “Beatles”, and “mods look”, however, the conventional search method has difficulty in getting access to all information related to “hippie”.
An alternative method may get access to contents having a direct association with “hippie”, grasp the subject matter of the corresponding contents, and find out association between “hippie” and “psychedelic” (this step is not an easy job). Subsequently, the method inputs a search word of “psychedelic” and gets access to contents having a direct association with “psychedelic” from the search results, thereby expanding the width of knowledge for an object of search.
However, such a method repetitively performs the steps for checking the subject matter of an individual search result and inferring a search word, thereby resulting in increased time and efforts of a user required for search.